Katherine - Pristine natural beauty

Katherine is one of these places you don't get the chance to read a lot. As a result I decided to gather some precious travel tips and understand more about this amazing place and share all my findings with you in the hope to make your journey unforgettable.

Katherine - Pristine natural beauty on Earth

The Katherine region extends from the Gulf of Carpentaria near the Queensland border towards the Kimberley in the west. Katherine is the place where ‘the outback meets the tropics.’ The town is located on the banks of the Katherine River and sits at the crossroads of Savannah Ways.

The Jawoyn Aboriginal people lived in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of explorer John McDouall Stuart, who named the site of the new town Katherine, after the daughter of his benefactor.

Gateway to nature and adventure

Base yourself in Katherine to explore the five distinctive areas within this vast region!

Cruise, canoe, bushwalk or fly over magnificent Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park.

Credit:Tourism NT

Soak in Mataranka's thermal pool and visit the setting of the famous novel ‘We of the Never Never’ in Elsey National Park. Land a barramundi in the Daly River region, touch the explorer's 1856 inscription carved on a Boabab tree in Gregory National Park or survey the Gulf region's 'Lost City' from the air.

Nitmiluk National Park - Katherine Gorge and Edith Falls

Credit: Tourism NT

The Gorge is located in Nitmiluk National Park and is one of the most outstanding areas in the country, winding 12 km with walls more than 70m high. The 13 wonderful gorges of Nitmiluk National Park were formed 23 million years ago as torrents of water poured along tiny cracks in the earth.

Leliyn (Edith Falls) is a collection of waterfalls and pools in Nitmiluk National Park, situated about 60 km north of Katherine. The falls are part of Edith River. There are trails to the top of the escarpment, allowing visitors to view the waterfalls.

Elsey National Park and Mataranka Thermal Pool

Elsey National Park is located in the East Central Barkly Region, close to the town of Mataranka. With around 200,000 people entering the Park each year, this is one of the Territory’s most visited Parks.

The Park protects permanent springs, waterholes and associated riverine vegetation, along with a number of vulnerable species. There are a number of registered sacred sites also contained within the Park which are of significance to the local Indigenous People.

Credit: Tourism NT

Situated within Elsey National Park, Mataranka Thermal Pool is a great place to unwind and a recognised Site of Conservation Significance within the Northern Territory, making it a particularly important place to protect into the future. Nestled amongst tall shady Mataranka Palms the thermal pools pump out an incredible amount of water. The warm, crystalline water of the natural pool is said to have the power to soothe aches and pains after a long day on the road.

Daly River

Credit:Tourism NT

Daly River can be found about 222km south-west of Darwin by taking a turn-off from the Stuart highway. The township supports a population of 560 people and is a centre for tourism, agriculture and cattle. Traditionally the Daly River crossing was a meeting place for Aboriginal people and by the close of the 1800s, European settlement had established farming, mining and a missionary community. The Daly River itself has wildlife, crocodile and plentiful numbers of barrimundi. Fishing is one of the popular visitor attractions in the area - although swimming is not recommended.

Gregory National Park

Credit: Tourism NT

Gregory National Park covers an area of around 13,000 square km in the transition zone between tropical and semi-arid regions of the Northern Territory. The Park features spectacular range and gorge scenery and significant traces of Aboriginal culture, European exploration and pastoral history.

It is worth a mention as it is the place most people stop to take a helicopter sightseeing tour over the Lost City, a large expanse of tall sandstone columns only accessible by air.